We recently gave a $1,000 Nordstrom shopping spree to one lucky Shop It To Me member! Naturally, we were eager to get to know her and what she’s planning to splurge on!

Shop It To Me: Tell us a bit about yourself: occupation, hobbies, favorite brands to shop.

Sweepstakes Winner: I work in the accounting department at HomeAway. I LOVE to shop — all of my friends think I have a shopping problem! My favorite brands are Free People, TopShop, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade, Sam Edelman, Steve Madden, Splendid, and many more.

SITM: How did you hear about Shop It To Me?

SW: I was actually forwarded a promotional email from a friend!

SITM: What was the best item(s) you’ve discovered on sale through our email?

Your annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sale Guide is here! Say no to crazy crowds and, instead, salivate over these savings. Pajamas encouraged. Check back each day of the weekend for updates, new codes and new sales! You can also shop all your own sales right from our handy iPhone app. Download it now!

It’s official! We are happy to announce that the Shop It To Me App is now available on the iPad!

It’s a must-have if you use an iPad to view your Shop It To Me emails. Now you can view four items at a time, product details and alternative images all within the app before being taken to the retailer’s site.

Plus — just for fun — we added some new improvements to our app just in time for the holidays, including:

Search for Specific items:

Looking for a pair of Rag & Bone booties? You can now search all the items our 100+ retailers have on sale in your size by keyword. Just click the “refine” button in the top right corner and then click “all sales” to begin your search.

Filter and Sort your feed

You can now more easily narrow down your daily feed (or sort it by price) by clicking the “refine” button in the top right of the screen.

Share items with friends.

Share items you like with your friends and family. Click the share button above any item to pass along something you like or that you think would be perfect for someone else — the perfect feature for dropping hints about gift ideas.

It’s hard to believe the final three-day weekend of the summer is almost here. If you’re anything like us, you’re feeling conflicted: you want to soak up every last minute of sunshine, but you don’t want to miss any of those great Labor Day sales!

We’re happy to share some good news: you don’t have to choose thanks to Shop It To Me’s iPhone app.

While you’re lounging on the beach, you can keep track of all the items that go on sale in your size each day from the brands you love at myriad retailers. Simply launch Shop It To Me’s iPhone app once daily throughout the weekend.

If past years are any indication, you can expect to find the following great discounts:

For women, August offers average discounts of 47% off. That’s second only to February (48% off). It’s a great time to buy accessories, jewelry, outerwear, sunglasses and sweaters.

Men can expect average discounts of 42% off — just behind January and February when the average is 43% off. Keep an eye out for accessories, athletic pants, bags, jeans, outerwear and sweaters.

So, pull up that beach chair, slather on some sunscreen … and shop to heart’s content.

Who’s ready for shopping fireworks? July 4th is coming up—and Independence Day is the fourth best sale shopping holiday of the year.

So if you’ve got shopping on your long-weekend agenda, here’s some data-driven advice:

Last year Shop It To Me served up more than 84,000 women’s clothing items on sale online, averaging 47 percent off. So, if you’re wondering what’s a better than average deal—go for 47 percent off or higher.

This year, many more retailers have apprised us of their July 4 sales and promotions, so we are expecting that things will be better for you, dear shopper. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the offers—including ones on The North Face—which are rarer than nitrate-free hotdogs at a Major League Baseball game.

7 For All Mankind will have 50% off hundreds of new markdowns plus up to an additional $150 off on orders over $550

Backcountry is offering up to 30% off The North Face gear and apparel, plus free shipping on orders over $50

Sweaty Betty, British activewear boutique, has up to 50% off plus free shipping on orders over $200

James Perse, will have up to 65% plus free shipping with code SITMSUMR2014

Also take note—women will find great deals on shoes and outerwear. For guys, it’s a great time to stock up on underwear and pajamas (who knew?!)

Some sales have started already; other skick off July 2 and 3. You can check your sales anytime anywhere with Shop It To Me’s iPhone app. So just remember, it’s never wrong to look for sales on Gucci while you watching fireworks by Grucci.

Methodology: Shop It To Me analyzed more than 1 million sale items available online from January 1 to December 31 2013.

Our Shop It To Me team is obsessed with “Suits,” the USA Network and Universal Cable Productions hit series. In honesty, we tune into this addictive legal drama as much for the incredible clothing as for the kickass characters and sizzling dialogue.

Photo credit USA Network and Universal Cable Productions

Because we lust after Jessica’s (Gina Torres) Giambattista Valli dresses and Rachel’s (Meghan Markle) Alexander McQueen pencil skirts, we sought out Jolie Andreatta, the show’s costume designer, to learn how to get the look she uses to tell the Suits story.

SITM: We drool over Jessica, Rachel and Donna’s amazing wardrobes. Any advice for summer associates who are just starting out?

JA: Start with a pencil skirt — a few if you can afford it – because it will never go out of style. You just have to find the right proportion: for the show, we like the below-the-knee length. Add a classic white shirt, and any kind of jewelry — like a statement necklace or a locket — and you are ready to fit in anywhere.

SITM: What type of shoes and bags should we invest our hard-earned cash in this summer?

JA: It’s important to invest in quality shoes! You’re wearing them a lot, so it’s worth it to spend the money. You need black, but I love a sexy brown pump.

I buy beautiful bags for the show, especially Prada. If you can only afford to purchase one bag, go for a medium-sized bag–something big enough to slip an 8×10 file and your flats into. As for color, I love, love, love taupe. It’s fresher than black and can go from winter to summer.

SITM: Any suggestions on how to achieve the Suits look without breaking the bank?

Learn your proportions. I can’t stress this enough for building a great wardrobe. It’s important to try things on and see what works best for your body. Avoid oversized clothing, go with things that are fitted but have a little bit of stretch. Start a file of things you love – cut pictures out or pin things online. And don’t buy something just because it’s on sale; buy on sale because it’s the right thing! Especially shoes! Invest in good quality shoes!

We’ve all been there: stressing over what to wear on that all-important first date.

So we turned to dating expert Amy Andersen, founder of Linx Dating, who has launched hundreds of relationships and dozens of marriages. Known as the Cupid of Silicon Valley, Amy teaches tech executives, entrepreneurs and investors how to date. We asked her for some dos and don’ts for smart first-date dressing.

According to Amy, men and women are very different when it comes to first-date impressions. “Men are visual creatures. He will know within the first 30-60 seconds if he is interested — purely based on physical attraction.” She recommends women “channel your inner Natalie Portman” — be classic, lady like and stylish.

Wear color. Men are like hummingbirds and are attracted to red and jewel tones. Avoid black, Army green and gray.

Avoid super-baggy clothing. (Men want to see a woman’s figure!) You don’t need to show a lot of skin, but know what works for your body type.

Skip the heels if he’s short. Your towering height could make him feel insecure, so it’s safer to wear flats.

The typical Silicon Valley man is a challenge when it comes to dating, says Amy. He often shows up wearing yesterday’s clothing and looking like he just woke up from a nap. Amy counsels male clients to wear clean, pressed clothes. She recommends he invest in:

A great pair of dark denim jeans.

A good sport coat — something with personality, like Etro.

Beautiful shoes, like a pair of leather Ferragamo drivers. Shoes that are scuffed up or outdated could be a reason she eliminates him from the dating game.

She encourages both men and women mix up their dating look in the early stages: “If you are uptown with your day-to-day fashion, go for a more edgy downtown look on a date.” For women, she recommends playing with colors, texture and shine to keep him on the edge of his seat and excited to see you. For more about Amy and linxdating, hop over to her site here.